


Comfort

by the_Runaway075 (orphan_account)



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Gen, M/M, Massage, Menstruation, One-Sided Attraction, Pining, World of Ruin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-30
Updated: 2018-12-30
Packaged: 2019-09-30 11:55:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17223614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/the_Runaway075
Summary: A night spent among close friends and comrades in Insomnia, an old, recurring pain surfaces in Noctis and brings about new feelings.





	Comfort

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place during the Royal Edition DLC in the Kingsglaive camp.

Noctis groans and rolls over again. And again. And again. He glances at his phone charging on the floor: 10:26. It’s 10 o'clock in the morning, but what does that matter anyway? There’s no day to be had. Still, he knows he fell asleep around 7 a.m. But a minimal 2-hour little nap is not enough to sustain him after so much trauma.

 He’s in pain and his body feels like lead. But he’s glad Prompto sleeps like a baby once he’s out; he hasn’t heard one peep out of his top bunk sidekick. Part of him wonders if it’s also just the strange sensation of feeling like he has to rest after 10 long years asleep.

 Dissatisfied by his lack of reasons for why he can’t sleep, he tries anyway, flopping over and over while squirming in pain.

 “Hey, you doin’ okay?” Gladio’s hushed voice comes from nowhere.

 Noctis is startled and flips over to see his Shield standing in the doorway to the conjoining room where Ignis now sleeps alone. Gladio looks ready to go out, sharply dressed in his Kingsglaive uniform. It puzzles Noctis. “What are you doing up?”

 Gladio shrugs. “Thought I’d stretch my legs a bit. Can’t sleep?”

 Noctis shakes his head. “No. I’ve been tossing and turning for the last two hours.” On his attempt to sit up, he moans softly and grimaces, grabbing the left side of his abdomen.

 Gladio notices and comes closer. “What’s the matter? You hurting or something?”

 Noctis kicks his legs a few times to try to ease the pain. It doesn’t work. “Mm-hm,” is all he says before he takes a deep breath. “It’s my period. I’ve had it since I was 17.”

 “What?” Gladio seems shocked, but maintains his composure. “How come you never told us?”

 “Didn’t think I had to,” he says. “Not even Dad knew. I kept it well-hidden.”

 “I’ll say,” Gladio sighs. “So, that mean you can have kids?”

 He only nods.

 Gladio’s eyes seem to glow. “Huh.” He kneels down beside Noctis’s bunk. “Anything I can do to help?”

 “Unless you’ve got ibuprofen, no,” Noctis groans.

 “I can try to massage your back a little,” Gladio suggests, making a kneading motion with his hands. “Might help.”

 Noctis turns over. “Not necessary. I’ll be fine, really.”

 Gladio wants to be impressed with Noctis’s resilient spirit, but he’s got a hunch that maybe he’s just being stubborn about not wanting help. He’s always been like that; unwilling to receive any assistance out of the fear he may be looked at as weak.

 Noctis sure struggles with the weight of his title as king and its expectations.

 At least in Gladio’s eyes, Noctis needs his help. He’s already done too much for everyone else.

 “Will you let me help? Y’know, massaging and stuff?”

 Noctis turns over yet again and shoos him away, pulling the blankets up higher on his body. He’s chilled all of a sudden. “No, thanks. I said I’ll be fine. You go.”

 Gladio shrugs and stands up like he’s lost all interest in Noctis’s predicament. “Alright,” he mumbles nonchalantly.

 Noctis gulps as Gladio walks away. Maybe he should’ve been more receptive to the man’s offer, out of compassion. “Gladio?”

 Gladio looks back over his shoulder when that feeble voice calls out to him. “Yeah?”

 “I… I’m sorry.”

 Gladio puts his hands on his hips, his thick brows furrowed. “For what?”

 “All those years ago,” Noctis recounts quietly, “after our fight back then. I felt like we never really made up, never patched our relationship. And I'm sorry I didn’t say something sooner.”

 Gladio huffs in agreement, shifting his weight from one boot to the other. “I know you are, Noct. I've been over it for some time now, but don’t think I haven’t had my share of regret about it either.”

 Noctis grabs an extra pillow and stuffs it between his legs. “I don’t, don’t worry. Just wanted to tell you how I felt before… before…” He can’t finish the sentence because it’s the last thing he wants to talk about now.

 Gladio shoulders his broadsword and wipes across his nostrils with a finger. “I understand.”

 Noctis smiles. The sight of his strong, muscular, chiseled Shield ready for battle is a point of boasting for him. “Thank you.”

 To Noctis’s relief, Gladio drops his sword and lets it fizzle out of existence. He turns to go back into his and Ignis’s shared bunk room. “You try to get some sleep, huh? Feel better.”

 Noctis's face warms at the wink Gladio just gave him. “I'll try, but I doubt I’ll sleep at all.” After Gladio’s door closes, Noctis is left alone to writhe in his pain and restlessness once again.

 

 ♡♡♡♡♡

 

 “Gods, just let me sleep!” Noctis whispers harshly into his pillow. A couple more hours have passed and nothing has changed in his body. The pain is pressing hard in his abdomen, squeezing like a vice. His lower back is all kinked up and sore because of the centralization of said pain.

 He’s been praying constantly for some relief. Any relief.

 That’s when he feels the bunk shift and creak as a larger, heavier weight settles onto the mattress and causes it to dip behind him. Prickly chills trickle along his limbs as he anticipates what unknown monster, enemy or daemon has decided to share a bed with the Chosen King.

 But that’s silly. They are nearly completely safe in the Kingsglaive HQ, what with highly-trained sentries and the ‘Immortal’ himself stationed within.

 So, what could be…?

 A warm, muscular arm snakes underneath Noctis’s body and curls so he’s wrapped up in an embrace. Gladio’s large form presses up against his back, spooning him in a sort of cradle.

 Noctis can’t help but gasp in a hushed voice, “Gladio?!”

 “Just relax,” comes the older man’s answer beside his earlobe, low and husky. “I'm gonna try to ease your pain, m’kay?”

 Noctis squirms nervously. “What if someone sees us?”

 “Don’t fret,” Gladio assures him. “I wanna help you.”

 His big, strong hands start working miracles into the tenderness of Noctis’s back, kneading with the intent to soothe him of all suffering. Noctis whimpers and arches back against his Shield, but his pain is barely being affected. The king’s lower back is all tight knots, so Gladio rubs and strokes with his palms to try to relieve some of the pressure on his spine and hips.

 “Gladio,” Noctis purrs contentedly as Gladio begins caressing his abdomen. “That feels wonderful. Your warmth is in the perfect spot against me.”

 Gladio watches as Noctis’s expression morphs from tense and pained to pure bliss. He loves when Noctis’s whiskers twitch with the faintest of grins. “Good,” he says softly, trying to mesmerize Noctis with the gentle rhythm of his massages.

 Noctis is beautiful. Gladio has admired his natural beauty for many years, but has managed to keep it under lock and key. He’s never wanted to disgrace him or dishonor their reputations in any way. Not that he really would if he said anything to him in private, but just to be safe, he never did, out of respect for Noctis’s position.

 Still, Noctis maintains that glow of young,  porcelain skin graced by darker, luscious hair in his 30’s. His long beauty rest in the Crystal truly served him well, not to mention given him a generous compliment to his slim figure.

 Mouth ghosting the softness of Noctis’s cheek, Gladio dares to kiss him there. Noctis freezes and tenses at the unexpected touch and stares back at his Shield, who’s smiling down at him.

 “What… What was that for?”

 “That,” Gladio says with a hand laying firmly on Noctis’s pelvis, “was for my King.”

 Noctis lies still then. “Why?”

 “‘cuz you’re adorable when you’re being stubborn, Princess,” he guffaws.

 Noctis gives a weak smirk and tries to relax again as Gladio continues to massage away his muscle tension. “Well, um… I… don’t really know what to say.”

 “Then don’t say anything. Just try to sleep, and I'll do the best I can.”

 The atmosphere has just become weird. This little moment between them is more awkward than any other time Noctis can remember they've been alone, but he stays as cool about it as he can. Gladio is acting a bit strange, but it’s really nothing out of the ordinary.

 Exhausted by everything piled on his shoulders, Noctis settles for following Gladio’s advice and decides to let his eyes close. 

 “I missed you, Noct.”

 Noctis only sighs and holds onto Gladio’s hand.

 About thirty minutes later, Noctis can’t recall the last pain he felt that night because he was dreaming.

 

 ♡♡♡♡♡

 

 Awakened by how warm the bed felt, Noctis stirs and stretches. He looks beside himself and there still lies Gladio, fast asleep and curled up with the other half of the comforter. 

 Noctis smiles at him. And in that moment, he realizes how truly blessed he’s been to have someone like Gladio by his side til the end. “What did I do to deserve a man like you, Gladio?”

 He carefully fluffs the pillow Gladio is sleeping on and tenderly drapes the blanket further over his shoulder, fingers brushing across the faint lines of his eagle tattoo. Gladio sighs in his sleep and buries his head into the pillow.

 Noctis weaves his fingers through Gladio’s soft locks and leans over to press a kiss just beside his lips. “That,” he murmurs, snuggling up closer so their thighs barely touch, “was for my Shield. Thank you…”


End file.
